1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of mounting a vehicle wiper mechanism, and more particularly to an improved method of mounting the vehicle wiper mechanism, wherein connection between a wiper link and a wiper motor is facilitated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the case of a normal vehicle body, a wiper for a vehicle converts a turning driving force of a wiper motor affixed to an engine into a reciprocatory motion through a predetermined angle by means of the wiper link and imparts the same to a wiper arm. A multiplicity of components are assembled at the side of a compartment and at the side of a engine room below a front window of the vehicle, whereby the aforesaid wiper motor is disposed at one side of the vehicle and at the side of the engine as a countermeasure of anti-noise pollution, and normally, secured to a cowl fore plate from the side of the engine by means of screws or the like. Consequently, the wiper link for connecting the wiper motor to the wiper arm is incorporated in a cowl, a turning support portion thereof is rotatably supported in the cowl and one end thereof is connected to the wiper motor through a joint.
FIG. 1 shows the conventionally assembled state of the vehicle wiper mechanism, wherein a wiper motor 10 is threadably coupled to a fore plate 16 of a cowl 14 from the side of an engine 12, and, in this state, a joint 22 of a wiper link 20 is connected to a joint 18 of the wiper motor 10 projecting toward the cowl 14.
Consequently, in the prior art, joints 18 and 22 must be accurately connected to each other in the cowl 14 having a small space. This connection is achieved such that joints 18 and 22 are pressfitted under a pressing force beyond a predetermined value, e.g., a force of more than 18 Kg. Hence, this connecting work has been considered to be very difficult. In practice, the pressing force during the aforesaid assembling is required to be strictly controlled. If the pressing force is inaccurate in value, then disadvantages have been presented. In particlular the joints are dislodged from each other, looseness therebetween tends to be increased in value, durability is lowered, sealing properties at the joint portion are deteriorated or noises are generated. Thus, it has been difficult to lower the value of the aforesaid pressing force in order to improve the workability.
In the prior art, to perform the aforesaid connecting work in the cowl 14, a service hole 26 for facilitating the connecting work is provided in a cowl top 24 of the cowl 14. Thus, heretofore the connecting work has been performed by a worker putting his hand into the cowl 14 through the service hole 26 during assembly.
However, in order to maintain the mechanical strength of the cowl 14, it is necessary to make this service hole 26 as small as possible, and hence, there has been presented the disadvantage of being unable to secure a satisfactory space for the connecting work.
Furthermore, the service hole 26 is disposed in the vicinity of an air duct of a heater blower. Hence, there is a possibility of intrusion of air or storm water from outside. To overcome this problem, it is necessary to hermetically seal by use of a suitable cover for preventing water or other substances from flowing into the compartment upon completion of the assembly of the wiper mechanism, thus presenting the disadvantage that the number of man-hours and the cost for assembly are increased. Further, the aforesaid sealing work must be carried out in a very limited space with great difficulty.